


No Boys Allowed

by Milieu



Category: Rune Factory (Video Games), Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon
Genre: Drabble Collection, F/F, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-15
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2018-04-09 14:04:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 10,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4351688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milieu/pseuds/Milieu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Who needs Micah anyway? A collection of femslash ficlets for the ladies of Rune Factory 3.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Very Important Mission - Marian/Sofia

"Marian," Sofia announced, barging into the clinic without so much as a how-do-you-do, "I don't need you to do something for me."

Marian hopped down from her stool next to the cauldron, shouldering her syringe. "Gotcha, gotcha. What do you need? Medicine? Are you sick? Oh, do you need a shot?" She brandished the syringe, causing Sofia to clutch her parasol and take a few steps back.

"Yes," she said, and Marian intuited from her put-off expression that this was still opposite-speak. "But I have a very important job for you."

"I'm all ears," Marian promised.

Sofia nodded and held up the bundle she'd been carrying. She shook it out to reveal some sort of...

Of...

Well, it kind of looked like it used to be a vegetable, but...

"I don't need you to eat this bikini." Sofia declared.

Marian stared at her. "That's not a bikini. That's a radish that you murdered."

"It's notone of Evelyn's creations," Sofia said with the sort of grimness that was usually reserved for someone describing a fantastically powerful enemy. "And I would like to keep it around for as long as possible, so please eat it quickly. Beach Day is soon and I want everyone in town to see this."

"Yeah, I get you," Marian muttered, and somehow she  _did_ get it, opposite-speak and all. "Okay, I can do that. But, uh, why'd you come to me and not Collette?"

She was taken aback when Sofia looked suddenly bashful. "Well... you hate vegetables. I assumed you would hate this as well. And I wanted to give you something terrible."

"Oh... okay," She hadn't been expecting that and couldn't quite think of a proper response. "Well... hand it over, I guess, and I'll go ahead. Maybe I can stew it or something..."

Sofia handed the... bikini... over with a smile, which Marian was able to return despite the utter weirdness of the situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just my luck to get Sofia and her opposite-speak in the very first chapter, eh. I tried some different formatting on it to make it obvious where she's speaking in opposites, but everything seemed to break the flow for me so I left it as-is. Hopefully that's not too much of an issue.


	2. Phoenix - Raven/Karina

Okay, so running away from home maybe wasn't the  _greatest_ idea that Karina had ever had. Honestly, probably not even in the top five. Or the top ten, for that matter.

Trying to make it through a freezing dungeon on her own sucked, was what she was saying.

She'd barely gotten into the area that the Vale River ran through and already she felt like taking a rest. She wasn't eager to repeat her experience with catching cold from sleeping in the snow, but she was just so tired...

Gravity decided to make the choice for her, it seemed; she was so caught up in her internal debate over whether to stop that she forgot to watch her step and was sent sprawling across the ice. The sword she'd picked up from Raven flew out of her hand, but she couldn't be bothered to get up and go retrieve it.

Heck, she was already on the ground, wasn't she? Might as well just stay there and rest for a bit. That was what she told herself, but really she was already nodding off.

Karina had the strangest dream.

She wasn't cold anymore. Actually, she was quite warm. The huge, gorgeous bird hovering over her seemed to have something to do with it, heat and golden light emanating from its feathers. It looked... worried?

"I knew you were going to run off and do something foolish," it said.

That was funny, it sounded like-

"Karina!"

The bird disappeared in a flash and Karina jolted fully awake to see Micah hurrying toward her, clutching the sword she'd dropped.

"Oh, it's you. What're you doing out here?"

"What am  _I_ doing out here!? You ran away! Hazel's worried sick!"

Karina frowned. "Mom is? No way."

"She is." Both Karina and Micah jumped as Raven emerged from the icy garden off the path. "Everyone was worried when we saw your note."

"Oh." That brought an embarrassed blush to her cheeks. "I didn't... I mean, I wasn't trying to..."

"We know." Micah offered her a hand to help her up. "But let's go back so everyone knows you're okay, alright?"

Karina nodded and took it, groaning a bit as her cold, sore muscles protested. "By the way, Raven, what are  _you_ doing here?"

Raven gave her a severe look. "I said everyone was worried, didn't I?"

"...Oh." That brought a rather different sort of blush to Karina's face.


	3. Chills - Carmen/Marian

"Heeey, Marian! Where's your grandma at?"

"She was just going up to the restaur- Why are you all wet!?" Marian stopped in her tracks when she turned and found Carmen, who was indeed dripping wet and just standing around in the street like it was no big deal. It was  _snowing_!

Carmen shrugged. "Well, I was down by the river trying to get these pond smelt that Marjorie said she needed, and I slipped and fell in. I don't really feel it anymore, though."

The only response Marian could come up with for that was a noise that went sort of like "aaaagh". She whipped her cloak off and draped it around Carmen's shoulders. "What's wrong with you!? It's freezing out here, you'll catch a cold, and pneumonia, and-"

Carmen grinned, even though her teeth were starting to chatter now. "I-it's fine. I'll go home and dry off if you give these to your grandma for me, okay?" She offered a line of fish, which Marian quickly snatched up.

"Sure, yes, good, go dry off and get warm!" There was more fussing and some shoving until she sent Carmen on her way, cloak still wrapped securely around her.

At the very least, she thought as she made her way to the restaurant to deliver the fish, that sort of stubbornness did justify a house call. And maybe some sharing of body heat, just to be sure.


	4. Strange - Pia/Sofia

"...So then I asked Micah what kind of girl he likes, and he said 'strange girls'." Raven did not look especially pleased by this development as she related the incident to Sofia and Karina.

Karina arched an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I suppose... maybe he meant me, since we were supposed to be on a date, but..."

Raven's musing was interrupted by a bright and cheery "Hey-ho!" from the storefront. Karina sighed and heaved herself up from the barrel that she'd commandeered as a seat. "Hang on, I've gotta get Pia her bath stuff."

As Karina shuffled out to retrieve the groceries, Pia caught sight of Sofia and Raven in the back room and waved. Raven just gave her a polite nod, but Sofia giggled and waved back. "Goodbye, Pia!"

"Buh-bye!" The other girl didn't even seem to notice or care that Sofia was speaking in opposites again as she collected her groceries from Karina and bounded back out the door. 

Raven gave Sofia a questioning look, and she giggled again and idly twirled her parasol.

"What can I say? I hate strange girls too."


	5. Sing - Raven/Pia

Anyone who knows Raven even in passing knows that she doesn't talk much. Her smiles and laughter are rare, and raising her voice for any reason even rarer. Once, when Micah asks if she planned to sing along with the others for Shara's birthday, she just stares at him until he awkwardly excuses himself. Singing is out of the question, so totally out of character for her that she honestly isn't even sure that she's physically capable of it. Singing is for bright, cheerful people like Shara or Pia.

Pia... sings a lot. She sings about baths, squid, squid in the baths, holidays, festivals... Any reason she can find, it seems. If anyone were to ask, Raven would naturally say that she finds it irritating, or at least unnecessary.

But there are times, when she's leaving the bath house in the evenings or when Pia is hopping about in the rain, that her voice floats over with some made-up melody and it is sweet and a little wistful, and Raven thinks that maybe they aren't as different as they seem. At those times, Raven almost feels like she could lift her head and sing along.


	6. Grand Tour - Daria/Sakuya

"Come on," Sakuya exclaimed, taking the elf girl - her name was Daria, she'd said - by the hand and pulling her along. "Since you just moved in, I'll show you all the best spots around Sharance!" Daria didn't protest, humming to herself as Sakuya led her around.

"Here's Privera's flower field!" Sakuya announced as they reached the field not far from Daria's new house. "It's a real popular date spot, and we also have weddings here! It's been a while since anyone got married in town, though."

"Ooh..." Daria grinned, taking in the blossoms all around them. "I'm definitely going to come and paint here!"

Sakuya smiled. "Definitely! Great idea!" And then maybe let me help sell your paintings, she thought, but decided that might be a bit too much for someone she'd just met. "Next is Rainbow Falls in Oddward Valley. Ready to go?"

Daria's face lit up. "Rainbow! Absolutely!"

Sakuya took her wrist again and led the way through town to the Oddward Valley entrance. "There's some strong monsters around here, so be careful, but the falls are just over here..."

Daria took her by surprise by breaking free of her grip and running ahead. "Oh my gosh! Rainbow!!" She seemed almost giddy, bouncing on the balls of her feet. She turned to Sakuya, grinning. "This is great! This one is my favorite!"

Sakuya laughed a little. "It's only the second spot I've showed you, though..."

"Doesn't matter!" Daria made a dismissive hand motion. "An artist knows her inspirations!" Before Sakuya could question what that meant, she'd whipped out... was that a hammer? Why was it covered in paint?

"Hmm, forgot to bring canvas. Next time, then." She glanced at Sakuya, idly twirling her hammer. "Oh, you'll let me paint you, won't you? It'd look just great here."

"I... guess?" Sakuya was getting the feeling that her little tour had spiraled out of her control. "Do you paint with a hammer?"

"Yep! Every artist has to have their own signature style, you know." And that raised more questions than it answered, but Sakuya decided to roll with it. Had to be flexible in business and all.

"So... do you want to go, now? There's still the Star Dunes in Sol Terrano Desert and the spot with the ice roses near the Vale River to see."

"I'm fine here. I think I'll go back to my house and get some canvas to set up. Oh, or sculpting supplies! Yeah!"

Sakuya deflated somewhat at her tour being officially derailed. "Oh. Alright, then."

Possibly sensing her disappointment, Daria turned to her again with a softer smile. "Hey, I'll go to the other spots with you sometime, okay? I bet they're just as nice. Just ask whenever you want to go."

"Heh... okay." Things hadn't gone as she'd expected they would - when did they ever, really? - but Sakuya thought that this tour had been alright.


	7. All That Glitters - Shara/Karina

Birthdays were nice. Karina's birthday was probably the one day each year that she made a serious effort to be awake for; getting plenty of nice gifts from her friends and a slice of cake from her mom even almost made up for how embarrassing that birthday song was.

This year she'd gotten a ruby ring from Sofia, a pendant Raven had made for her, and even a pretty box full of polished gems from Micah. And from Shara...

Karina blinked at the flower being held out to her, taking in the gilded gold petals and leaves. "An Emery Flower?" She looked up at Shara in confusion. "I can have this? Are you sure?"

Shara beamed at her, though there was a sheepish edge to it. "I've been saving up for a long time for Monica's birthday next month, so Grandpa said it was okay if I gave you one of the flowers we'd been growing... I hope you're not disappointed."

"No! Of course not!" Karina was probably the most awake that she'd felt all day as she carefully took the flower from Shara, their fingers brushing. "It's beautiful. Thank you so much."

Shara's smile brightened, if that was possible. "I'm so glad you like it! I spent a long time growing it."

"Yeah..." Karina was no flower expert, but she'd heard that Emery Flowers took a huge amount of time and effort.

There was a little bit more of a spring in her step than usual for the rest of the day.


	8. Quiet - Marian/Collette

Every so often, the two of them sneak out of town at night to go look at the stars. Marian packs a blanket and medicine, and Collette prepares a picnic basket with their favorite foods. There is a comfortable silence between them as they walk; they know each other well enough to communicate without having to talk, and neither wants to raise their voice and risk waking someone in town as they creep away.

The quiet stays with them as they reach the Star Dunes. Marian spreads the blanket over the warm sand so they can sit comfortably, and Collette sets out plates and carefully arranges the food on them. They eat and gaze at the stars without speaking a word. Sometimes their hands brush accidentally, when reaching for the next bit of food or a napkin, but neither minds.

Eventually, when the food is gone and their eyelids are growing heavy, they know it is time to return to town and slip back into their beds. They pack up just as silently as they arrived, and maintain that silence until they reach Sharance again. Like always, Marian walks Collette to the restaurant first.

"Hey Marian," Collette whispers before slipping inside, the first time that night that she's really spoken.

"Yeah?"

"That was fun. Let me know when you wanna go again." And with those words and a smile, she's gone.

Every night, Marian could have said. Let's go all the time. But she doesn't - yet. 

Instead, she creeps back to her own house, puts her things away and climbs into bed, and dreams with a smile on her face. Sharance is silent again until dawn.


	9. Summer Sun - Shara/Sofia

The summer sun was relentless, and Shara could only mop sweat from her brow and hope that she wouldn't burn too badly as she bent over the flowerbeds outside the shop to weed. She'd sent Monica back inside some time ago to prevent her from overheating and getting sick, despite the younger's protests, and she hadn't let Wells even consider being the one to go out and work on a day like this. Summer heat aside, his back would have given out long before he got through with the weeding, being hunched down like this.

She ought to get a nice big hat like Carmen's, she thought. Maybe she could ask Sofia or Evelyn about it...

As if summoned by her thoughts, a shadow fell over her. Shara glanced up in surprise to find none other than Sofia standing over her, parasol angled so that Shara was in its shade. It was a minuscule relief from the sun, but even that was refreshing.

Shara smiled. "Is there something I can help you with, Sofia?"

"Yes." Sofia returned her smile and gave her parasol a little twirl. "I just noticed that it's especially cold today, and you're out here all alone. I'd love for you to get too hot and get sick, you know."

Shara laughed a little. It was still odd to hear someone say such things so cheerfully, even if she could decipher Sofia's true meaning. "Don't you have better things to do than stand here and give me shade?"

"No," Sofia said, not budging an inch. Shara couldn't tell if she meant it or the opposite that time.

"Well... thank you, then." Shara brightened as something occurred to her. "I don't suppose you'd want all these weeds I'm pulling up, in return for sticking around?"

Sofia stopped just short of clapping her hands in delight. "I couldn't be more disgusted to receive such a thing from you! You know how I hate them!"

Shara laughed. "I do. Was that your ulterior motive all along, then?"

"Ah..." Sofia's expression turned bashful. "...yes."

Shara was left wondering once again what exactly the answer meant.


	10. Assistance - Marian/Daria

Marian had made it a habit to check up on Daria every so often and sometimes bring her a meal, ever since Micah had admitted to her that Daria had once worked until she collapsed. Dedication to one's work was something Marian understood and admired, but it should never come at the cost of your health.

She'd tried to make this point to Daria several times by now, but all she got in return was a bundle of colored grasses for her medicines and Daria's bright, musical laughter. It wasn't that bad of a trade-off, really. Or wouldn't have been, if Marian could have been reasonably certain that Daria wouldn't work herself to exhaustion again when in the throes of some fit of inspiration.

She kept on coming back, though; what kind of doctor would she be, if she just gave up on a potential patient like that? Moreover, what kind of friend?

"You know, Marian," Daria said one evening after enjoying the meal of dried sardines that she'd had Collette prepare beforehand, "you're all I could ever ask for in an assistant."

Marian hadn't known how to respond to that, so she'd just sputtered a bit indignantly. "If anything, you're  _my_  assistant, since you keep on collecting these plants and grasses for me."

All she got in return was Daria's laughter once again, and a ruffling of her hair. Who did that? That was the kind of thing Marian's grandmother had done to her when she was a child.

But she kept on coming back. Marian wasn't one to give up, and she couldn't deny that the kind of challenge that Daria presented to her was every bit as thrilling as it was frustrating.


	11. Awesomesauce - Pia/Collette

There were times that Collette got discouraged. Times she wondered if she'd ever be able to make it as a chef following in her dad's footsteps, when she looked at a failed dish or an unhappy customer, and she wanted to go climb up in her tree in the plaza and stay there until everyone forgot about her.

This was one of those times, if a little different than usual. She was huddled in the kitchen, scowling down at the various mixing bowls on the counter before her. Nothing she'd tried had worked. Everything came out too sweet or too salty, or the flavors didn't blend well, or some other kind of nonsense with the sauce just not working out. Ordinarily, she'd have called it quits hours ago, gone on a walk or to Marian's house, but she wouldn't allow herself to give up here. This dish needed to be perfect.

She'd just gotten a clean bowl out of the cabinet and began psyching herself up to try again when the kitchen door creaked open and Rusk poked his head in. His brow furrowed when he saw the mess Collette was surrounded by, but he didn't ask. He'd figured out long ago that it was a lost cause to try and bring Collette to her senses when she got like this, and the best course of action was to let her burn through all her irritation until she was willing to stop or listen to some advice.

"What?" She asked, a little more sharply than necessary.

"Pia's here. She was asking if she could come in here and see you." Rusk raised his eyebrows in an implied question.

Collette sighed, letting her shoulders slump. "Yeah, sure. Not like I'm going to finish this anyway."

Rusk's eyebrows drew together further, a hint of worry showing through for just a moment, before he reminded himself again that Collette needed to be left to her own devices at times like this. "Alright, I'll tell her."

Not thirty seconds after Rusk withdrew, the kitchen door swung wide open and Pia came bounding in. "Hey-ho!" She crowed. "You wanted to see me today, right?"

"Yeah..." Collette was beginning to wish that she'd just had Rusk run over to the bath house and tell Pia that things weren't working out today, but she'd been so determined to just power through and get things right...

Pia's cheery expression fell when she saw how downcast Collette was. "What's wrong?"

Collette sighed again. "Okay, here's the deal. I was trying to make this new squid dish and I wanted you to try it, but it hasn't turned out so great..."

"Oh!" Pia brightened again at the mention of squid. "I'm sure it turned out a-okay anyways! I love squid raw or cooked, you know."

Collette couldn't completely keep a smile off her face at Pia's enthusiasm. "Well, it's more the sauce than the squid, but I hope you like it anyway." She picked up the dish that had turned out best and offered it.

Pia selected a piece of squid with her bare hand and popped it into her mouth without hesitation. Collette watched with no small measure of worry as Pia chewed thoughtfully. "Well?"

"Hmm..." Pia swallowed the food and then beamed at her. "A little salty. But still tasty!"

Collette let out a soft, relieved laugh. A weight felt like it had been lifted from her shoulders. Had she really been that worried that Pia wouldn't like anything made with squid? "Still, it needs some work. I'll try again once we catch more squid."

Pia nodded along, humming absently. "What're you making it all special for?"

"Oh..." Collette looked away, feeling her face warm. "It's uh, it's kind of for someone special."

Pia clapped her hands. "Well I know they'll love it! Your cooking is always awesomesauce."

Collette laughed a little again, rubbing at a spot on the countertop with her index finger. "That's what it's going to be called, you know. I got the idea from you."

Pia just smiled, like she agreed but didn't quite get it. And maybe she didn't yet, but she would.

Just as soon as Collette made sure the dish was perfect.


	12. Piece of Cake - Kuruna/Collette

Making the effort to forge a closer relationship with the hornless had brought with it certain advantages, Kuruna had discovered. Her social circle was much more varied now and there was so much more she could do than just rely on Ondorus or Zaid for conversation. Micah seemed much more at ease around everyone now that he could be completely honest about his half-monster heritage.

And with her newfound access to Sharance's restaurant, Kuruna was now free to buy cake  _any time she wanted_.

She was pretty sure that the family running the restaurant had caught on to her obsession by now, but she maintained at least a facade of dignity during her visits nonetheless. Didn't stop the young girl acting as the sous-chef from giving her increasingly cheeky grins every time she showed up, but she kept it up.

Today was no different. Kuruna made her journey to Sharance under the pretense of paying Micah a visit, chatted with him a while, and made her way by the restaurant to pick up a slice of cake before heading back to the Solterrano Desert.

Collette greeted her with the usual grin. "What can I do for you today, Kuruna?" Her expression was far more knowing than Kuruna would have preferred, but she decided not to comment.

"I'd like a piece of cake, if you please," she said.

"We don't have any today."

"What?" Kuruna blurted out the word on reflex. She'd gotten so used to her regular supply of cake that it had never occurred to her that the restaurant might not provide one day.

Collette shrugged casually with one shoulder. "Honestly, Rusk's been run pretty ragged lately, so Dad gave him the day off. So no desserts today."

"I... oh." Kuruna couldn't come up with a proper response that didn't express her profound disappointment in this development. There was a little twinge of guilt there as well, since she'd no doubt been contributing to Rusk's workload. "I see."

Collette's grin widened just a bit. She moved to the opening behind the counter and held out her hand to Kuruna. "Come here."

"Huh?" Zero for three on responses that hid how taken aback and flustered she was.

Collette motioned for Kuruna to take her hand. "Rusk isn't here to make your cake today. But I can give you a lesson, if you want. Come on."

"I..." Kuruna cleared her throat. Her face felt a bit warm. Maybe the restaurant staff shouldn't stoke their fireplace so diligently. "Alright."

She took Collette's hand and let herself be led into the kitchen. One could say that it was a sweet afternoon.


	13. Lazy Afternoon - Carmen/Karina

Carmen hummed softly to herself, leaning back against a sun-warmed rock as she watched her fishing lure bob on the surface of the water. Her humming was the only sound besides those of nature around her, and her eyelids felt a bit heavy, but she forced them to stay open. Fishing was relaxing and all, but she didn't want to miss a good catch just because she decided to nap.

Unlike  _some_ people...

Carmen couldn't suppress a grin as Karina cuddled closer to her side. The other girl was fast asleep and had been nearly since they set up on the riverbank. She hadn't expected any different, but it was still a bit funny  She couldn't imagine being anything less than her usual energetic self, so Karina's typical demeanor was almost unfathomable to her.

Karina sighed in her sleep and nestled her head in the crook of Carmen's shoulder. Carmen smiled and draped one arm around her shoulders, holding Karina against her side in addition to gripping her fishing pole.

Unfathomable or not, it wasn't like she was in unpleasant company.


	14. One Man's Trash - Daria/Sofia

Sofia's room was getting cluttered. Nearly every available surface and now part of the floor was crowded with odd things, perhaps to the surprise of few who knew Sofia. Designs of twisted metal that one could still make out bits of logos on underneath the paint if they looked closely. Clumps of dried grasses and weeds arranged in bizarre patterns. Old dresses long outgrown, cut and tied and re-stitched into shapes that suggested perhaps a monster, perhaps an alluring figure. 

Absolutely all of it was an explosion of almost blinding color, a cacophony in every imaginable iteration of the rainbow.

Everyone knew where (or rather who) the sculptures came from. The real question was  _why_ , but when pressed, Sofia offered only a secret, knowing smile, and continued on her way down the road to Daria's house.


	15. Curiosity - Carmen/Kuruna

The first time Kuruna sees her is a shock.

She does occasionally venture out of the monsters' village on her own - she's capable of looking after herself, thank you very much, and as useful as Zaid is, he tends to get himself into trouble more often than not. All she needs is some fish for that night's dinner, anyway.

When she reaches the sand sea, however, she is startled to find that it isn't empty. No, in fact, there is a human girl perched on a rock some distance away, humming to herself as her fishing pole's lure bobs in the sand. Luckily, Kuruna stops short before venturing out into plain sight, reaching up to cover Will with one hand and keep him quiet so he won't draw the girl's attention. She is obviously young, barely an adult; what is she doing all the way out here in the desert all on her own?

Kuruna spends longer than she would care to admit studying the girl. Short hair, fashionable hat. Tanned skin. Toned, athletic body. Obviously someone used to working for what she needs and who enjoys the outdoors.

She might have cut an admirable figure, if not for the fact that she is so obviously human.

Kuruna retreats after spending some time observing, since the girl shows no sign of moving from her spot. She catches a few fish with flourish and skill while Kuruna watches.

The sight of her victorious smile is one that Kuruna finds difficult to put from her mind for several days.

\---

It doesn't take long for Carmen to catch on, but she chooses to keep quiet - both to the monster girl that she sometimes spies watching her from the edges of the sand sea, and about her. She doesn't need Carlos or Micah to get the wrong idea and come along to harass some innocent bystander, and honestly, she doesn't mind her audience.

It's nice, to have a kind of companionship when she comes out here. Nice to wonder what the horned girl might be thinking when she returns to her not-so-secret hiding place to watch while Carmen fishes. 

Sometimes Carmen wonders if she is as intriguing to the girl as the girl is to her, and debates whether today might be the day that she'll try to approach and satisfy her curiosity.

(Sometimes, she also wonders if the girl thinks she is cute too. 

She hopes so.)


	16. In The Red - Raven/Sakuya

"Micaaah!" Sakuya called out as she entered the hidden field beneath the Sharance Tree. "Micah- oh, hi Raven!" Raven was indeed there as well, evidently collecting some ore that Micah had gathered for the blacksmith shop.

"Hey Sakuya!" Micah greeted her with like cheerfulness, and Raven gave a more subdued nod of acknowledgement. "Did you need something?"

"Well, you know I'm in the red again with my finances." Sakuya planted her hands on her hips, taking care not to pout as well. It was a drag, how with all her plans she was hardly ever able to break even, much less turn the kind of profit she wanted.

"Right..."

"I was hoping you'd be able to, you know... collect more of that 'special wool' that you found that one time and share it with me if you did." Sakuya took care to emphasize the word "found". It was hard to tell with Raven, but Sakuya didn't think she and Micah were close. Raven probably didn't know that he was half-monster, so letting any hint slip would be bad.

Micah was evidently thinking along the same lines, going by the startled look he gave her. "Oh, uh..." He began with obvious reluctance.

"Please? Pretty please?" Sakuya gave him the biggest, saddest eyes she could manage. "Only a little! I know it's, uh, rare."

Raven was watching the two of them with slightly raised eyebrows. "What is this about again?"

"Um-" Micah began, but Sakuya cut him off. He might have been able to keep his secret as long as nobody asked, but he was no good at fibbing.

"You know that golden wooly that people have seen around the village from time to time? Micah found some of its wool a while back and let me sell it! Gold-colored things are valuable, you know." Only because people thought they were, really, but as long as they paid for the goods Sakuya didn't really care.

"I see," Raven said. She gathered up the ores that she had come to pick up and turned to leave. "Good luck with that, then."

"Thanks!" Sakuya waved her off energetically before rounding on Micah, who was forlornly watching his last line of defense walk away.

"Now, about that wool."

\---

"Here."

Sakuya looked up in surprise as Raven deposited a package onto the inn's front desk without fanfare. "Huh? What's this for?"

"To help with your profits this season," Raven said. Her face was as unreadable as ever, but her eyes were intently locked on Sakuya's.

Sakuya opened the package and gasped when she saw the shimmering red and gold feathers bundled neatly inside. "Oh, wow!" She lifted one, taking in how long and sturdy it was. Lustrous and soft, too. These would surely sell well as decorations and accessories; she couldn't make something so pretty into an ordinary quill pen.

"These are amazing! Where did you get them?"

"From a monster," Raven said, as though it should have been obvious. (Okay, it should have been. Sakuya was a little distracted and not thinking clearly.)

"The bird that these came from must have been huge!" Sakuya smiled at Raven with admiration. "You're really brave to collect them for me, thank you so much! I would have been terrified. What a monster!"

Something in Raven's expression changed, so subtly that Sakuya wasn't entirely sure she had really seen it. It was as though some door had suddenly slammed shut.

"...Yeah," Raven said, voice muted. "...Anyway. Good luck with your shop." She turned abruptly and exited the inn at a quick pace, leaving Sakuya staring with bewilderment after her.

She wasn't sure why or how, but she got the feeling that she had messed up.


	17. Home - Raven/Shara

"Shara?"

"Hm?"

"We're... friends, right?"

Shara smiled. "Of course we are."

"Friends forever?"

"Of course," Shara said again, reaching for Raven's hand. Raven hesitated before letting Shara link their fingers.

"...Sharance is my home, isn't it?"

"Absolutely. Forever. It wouldn't be the same without you."

Shara leaned her head on Raven's shoulder, and this time Raven didn't pull away.


	18. Past, Present, Future - Kuruna/Daria

Humans don't live very long, but they are numerous. Kuruna used to be given to comparing them to vermin, or insects; she is less inclined to do so now, but the thought does rise every now and again. Old habits die hard. Old prejudices even more so, given that she has had nearly a century to nurse grudges.

Monsters such as the univir and other human-like races are much rarer, but their lives far outlast even the longest-lived of their populous neighbors. Kuruna can't help but cringe inwardly even as she smiles at the old mayor of Sharance. She has lived twice as long as he, but he will be gone within a few years at the most and she will continue on and on.

Knowing these things, it doesn't surprise her so much that the elf girl who lives on the edge of Privera Forest has few friends in the town. It is almost more surprising that she has contact with the people of Sharance at all, but then one could tell at a glance that Daria is, in a word, eccentric.

Kuruna isn't entirely sure how or why they become friends, as different in temperament as they are, but she enjoys visiting the flower field next to Daria's house and she isn't adverse to bringing any extra food that she prepares for lunch in the morning once she catches on to Daria's tendency to skip meals while overcome with artistic passion. Some of the hornless - the humans - comment on it, teasingly. At one point, Shara asks point blank whether Kuruna is going to make a move some time this decade, and Kuruna's blushing and sputtering covers both the fact that she hadn't quite realized it before then, and her inability to articulate that, given her and Daria's respective lifespans, a proper courtship of this kind very well  _could_ take decades. Monsters move slowly; humans are frantic by comparison. Aside from Micah, whose very nature makes him a mystery in this regard, all the current residents of Sharance could be long gone before either Kuruna or Daria see fit to even voice any potential feelings. It is a sobering thought, one that Kuruna isn't sure how to deal with.

On one hand, she would like that. Doing everything properly, that is, letting things fall into place at their own rate, slowly nurturing her feelings until they bloom like an angondaia flower. It feels like the right way to go about things (and honestly, who even knows how long it would take for Daria to really catch on, her head in the clouds as it is).

On the other hand, her new consideration of just how different time is for herself and her neighbors makes Kuruna feel rushed. Like she should hurry up and get everything done in the next decade, the next year, the next week, because who knows how much time anyone has left? Reluctant as she is at first to admit it, Kuruna  _likes_ the people of Sharance. She wants to share her happiness with them.

She stews on this for weeks, months. She debates back and forth furiously with herself over whether she should confess or just let things play out as they may. More than once, she curses her new hornless friends and thanks them for allowing her to meet Daria in equal measure.

She doesn't reach an easy conclusion. But one afternoon, as they sit in the flower field and eat lunch in companionable silence, Daria sighs, "It's nice."

"What is?" Kuruna questions.

"Having someone that you know won't go away in a few years." Daria is uncharacteristically quiet and wistful for a few moments before continuing, "Having someone who understands that."

And yes, Kuruna does understand.

For now, it's enough.


	19. Sea Monster - Sofia/Sakuya

It was a sleepy, pleasantly warm spring day, and business at the inn had been fairly slow. Leaning against the front desk with her chin in her hand, Sakuya didn't realize she had nodded off until a shriek pieced the air and jerked her awake again.

Flailing about for a moment until she got her bearings, Sakuya pinpointed the women's bath as the source of the scream and made a beeline for it, wracking her brain to try and remember who was in there. "Evelyn?"

"Yes," came an unmistakably perturbed voice, making Sakuya shake her head. At least she had been right about it being one of the De Sainte-Coquille sisters.

"What's wrong? Can I come in?"

"Yes," Sofia answered again, and Sakuya pushed the door open, banking on that not having been opposite-speak. She was met with the site of Sofia huddled against the edge of the tub, clutching a towel against herself both to preserve modesty and as a flimsy defense against the monstrosity that had invaded the tub.

Said monstrosity was a squid. A very much alive, very annoyed squid. Sakuya stared at the squid, the squid stared back, Sofia regarded the both of them with obvious displeasure. 

Pia was going to get a talking-to tonight.

"Please take your time," Sofia said, and Sakuya reminded herself that it was  _probably_ opposite-speak and not sarcasm. Probably.

"Yeah, yeah, let me go get the net." She bustled back out to the bath's supply closet and grabbed the bamboo net they used to scoop up any debris that happened to find its way into the bath. The squid proved unwilling to cooperate very much, but it didn't have anywhere to escape to that Sakuya couldn't reach and was soon retrieved and summarily deposited into the tub in Pia's room. (Sakuya personally might have recommended immediate execution for the offense, but they'd had squid sashimi two nights in a row already and she needed to check back in on Sofia.)

She returned to the women's bath to find Sofia much in the same position as when she had left, warily eyeing the water. "It should be clear now," Sakuya assured her. "And we'll make sure that doesn't happen again." Really, they just ought to be thankful the squid hadn't decided to express its displeasure by squirting ink all in the water.

Sofia nodded slowly. "Thank you," she said, and her tone of voice was sincere. To punctuate her statement, she leaned over and planted a kiss on Sakuya's cheek, somewhat startling her. "Now, if you don't mind...?"

"Yeah, right, of course-" Sakuya excused herself so that Sofia could resume her bath, blushing.

Stationed back at the front desk, she wasn't sure if she wanted to let herself doze off again, or if she should be wary of nightmares of squid-related business disasters.

Eventually, she settled for daydreaming about Sofia instead.


	20. Dream Journal - Marian/Karina

Dear Diary,

I've decided that it's too much effort to write things in you, so I'm going to stop.

\---

Dear Diary,

It's me again. I've decided to start writing in you again because I've been having weird dreams. I went to Marian to ask her about it, but she just tried to give me a shot. Now I'm probably going to have nightmares of that too.

\---

Dear Diary,

I can't really remember what I've been dreaming about. It's messing up my sleep schedule though, and that's a big problem. How am I supposed to be well-rested if I just keep waking myself up every few hours?

\---

Dear Diary,

I went to go see Marian again today. This time she at least sat down long enough to listen to my problem and even tried to mix up some sleeping medicine for me. I hope it works (and that she didn't mess up and give me something weird like she did to Micah that one time...). I'm going to take it before I go to bed tonight.

\---

Dear Diary,

I didn't wake myself up last night, but my dreams were  _really_ weird. Marian was there and I don't know why. Maybe because she was the one who brewed the potion?

It's too much effort to go ask her. I'm going back to sleep.

\---

Dear Diary,

It's been several days. I'm sleeping better now, but I also haven't been writing because I was busy thinking about something else.

I think I like girls. Like in a romantic way.

And I can't blame this on Marian accidentally giving me a love potion or anything, because...

Well.

It's been this way for a while, I guess.

Marian might not have given me a bad potion, but I think it's her fault anyways.

\---

Dear  ~~Diary~~ Marian,

Yes, I know you're reading this. You're really bad at keeping your snooping to yourself.

Isn't it a lot more effort to sneak into my house and peek at my diary than to just ask me out?

\---

Dear Karina,

Yeah, but isn't it more effort to make up some kind of ailment so you have an excuse to come see me rather than just making the first move?

\---

Dear Marian,

I'll have you know that I've never made up any ailments in my life. All of my illnesses are 100% authentic. And stop reading my diary!

P.S. Lunch tomorrow?

\---

Dear Karina,

How am I supposed to get your messages if I stop reading your diary though? How about instead of writing me messages in your diary, therefore forcing me to read your diary, you just come visit more often? Granny will make tea and snacks if you want to drop by after work sometimes.

P.S. Sure.

P.P.S. I still think you ought to get just one little vaccination, just to be sure your odd dreams aren't the result of some kind of fever.

\---

Dear Marian,

I'll see you tomorrow. Get out of my house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like to think that by the end of the chapter, they were both sitting in Karina's room, passive-aggressively writing in the diary and pretending not to notice each other.


	21. Under The Sea - Shara/Pia

Beach Day wasn't Shara's very favorite holiday, but she enjoyed it all the same. Almost the whole town flocked to the lakeshore, and she always soaked up the lively atmosphere, listening to the shouts and splashing with a smile on her face. A particularly exuberant yell caught her attention (and the attention of everyone else there, for that matter), and she turned to see Pia barreling towards the water as Sakuya struggled to keep up.

"Woo-hoo!" Was the only comprehensible part of Pia's exclamation before she dove in.

Shara laughed, not minding as she got splashed. Pia surfaced with a grin on her face, scales flashing in the sunlight.

Shara settled in a shady spot and watched as people came and went on the beach throughout the afternoon, though she wouldn't necessarily deny that her gaze kept periodically drifting back over to Pia romping through the water.

She must have dozed off at some point, since the wet flop of a body on the sand next to her startled her awake again, and she realized that the sun had started to sink towards the horizon. Turning to face her visitor and still trying to blink the sleep from her eyes, it took a moment to realize that it was in fact Pia again.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" Pia said in lieu of greeting.

"Yeah," Shara agreed, stifling a yawn. She didn't want Pia to get the idea that Shara was bored by her or anything.

They lapsed into silence for a few minutes, watching the sun dip down towards the water, casting pink, red, and gold rays across the lake.

"Are there flowers under the ocean?" Shara mused aloud.

She wasn't fully expecting an answer, but Pia tilted her head thoughtfully to the side. "I don't know," she said finally. "I don't remember any."

She turned back to Shara with a bright smile which didn't seem to fit the turn of the conversation at all. "I don't think I had ever seen a real flower until I came here!" She said brightly.

The next morning, Sakuya and Shino puzzled over the massive bouquet that was delivered to the inn's front step. Pia just smiled and carried it up to her room.


	22. Personal Space - Karina/Kuruna

"How can you  _see_ in these?" Karina puzzled aloud, peering through the lenses of the glasses she was holding in front of her face.

Kuruna made a valiant effort to keep any amusement off her face. "My eyes are different than yours. I need them."

Karina shrugged and set the spare glasses back where she had found them. Kuruna watched her warily; when she had finally decided to open the monster village to human visitors, she hadn't exactly anticipated that it would mean her room was now open for examination as well. Karina possessed a curiosity belied by her normally languid nature, however, and as long as she didn't snoop into private things Kuruna didn't feel right about telling her to knock it off.

Of course Karina made her way to Kuruna's bedroll sooner rather than later, testing it with a hand before deeming it fit to nap on. Without asking.

Kuruna watched her with one part bemusement, one part resignation as she lay down and was seemingly asleep within seconds.

...Well, no point in wasting a perfectly good afternoon nap. She sighed and scooted Karina to the side so that she could lay down as well. Karina crowded up next to her in a way that she hadn't been anticipating, but really, what was she going to do? Wake Karina up just to tell her to get out of her personal space? Not a great move coming from a host, even if her bedroll was technically being occupied without permission.

When Karina awoke later in the evening, she informed Kuruna that she was "comfortable". Kuruna supposed she ought to take it as a compliment.


	23. Turning The Tables - Marian/Shara

Marian had just about managed to doze off when Shara came bustling into her room from the downstairs kitchen, carrying a tray with a cup of tea and bowl of soup, both steaming. Marian almost just rolled over with a groan, but Shara's gentle smile motivated her to at least sit up and accept the tray.

"I keep telling you, I'm not sick," she said unconvincingly, not helped by the sharp cough that punctuated her words.

"Mhmm," Shara hummed, not bothering to argue. While Marian sipped the tea and soup (both delicious, of course), Shara fluffed her pillow, checked the window to be sure that no drafts were coming in, and brought an extra blanket to cover the foot of the bed, as Marian had been complaining that her feet were cold earlier. "How's your tea? I mixed some cold medicine into it so you wouldn't have to take the medicine on its own. I hope it didn't affect the taste too much."

"I didn't even notice it," Marian admitted. She sighed with exasperation at being the person getting treatment instead of giving it, but it was exaggerated so that Shara wouldn't see how much she was enjoying having Shara fuss over her.


	24. Different - Daria/Raven

"I know you!" Daria had exclaimed when she met Raven for the first time, not long after moving into the cottage on Sharance's outskirts.

Raven had been startled and more than a little taken aback. "You do? Have we met?"

"Nope!" Daria was chipper as she'd always turn out to be. "But I recognize you. You're different from the rest." Her expression had softened when she realized how Raven seemed ill at ease with her words. "You're like me, I mean," she explained.  _Not human_ , were the unspoken words between them.

Raven had just nodded mutely, not trusting herself to respond out loud.

"If you ever want to talk about it, you can come visit me," Daria had added just before leaving.

Raven never did. But there were times when she thought about it. More and more often lately, she found herself glancing out towards Privera Forest's edge and the sculptures in multitudes of color which peered out from among the trees.

In her heart of hearts, she knew it was only a matter of time.


	25. Sisters - Shara/Carmen

It's not that different, having an older brother and a younger sister. Shara and Carmen both scold, and worry, and hope. It's the simple things that they bond over, laughing about how Carlos said this or that or musing on when Monica would grow out of her shyness. It's hard sometimes, to be the responsible ones. It's nice to have a friendly ear to listen or shoulder to cry on. It helps to have someone who understands.

The thing about being so used to discussing sisterly things is that it's quite some time before either one realizes that what they have between them is quite something else altogether.


	26. Puzzling - Pia/Kuruna

It wasn't long after meeting Pia that Kuruna decided she was a little bit crazy. Not to be rude, but... well, Pia's mind was simply an enigma, something on a totally different level than anyone else Kuruna had met. It baffled her, the things Pia would come up with.

Oh, but the insidious thing there. Kuruna, with her sharp mind and sharper wits, had never been one to turn her back on a puzzle.

Little by little, day by day, she began to realize why it was that her inability to fully understand Pia frustrated her so. It was, of course, because she  _wanted_ to understand. Just once, she wanted to be able to take in Pia's words and see the world exactly as Pia did. Her mind seemed to Kuruna that it must be the most interesting and confusing place anyone had ever visited, and for all that Kuruna was grounded in reality, her heart longed to be a traveler between worlds.

Every so often, there would be a tiny spark. The very edge of a Eureka moment, a nagging feeling that Kuruna could almost,  _almost_ see things from that fantastic perspective, if only she tried hard enough.

She never quite made it, but the thrill was enough to keep her coming back.


	27. Truth and Beauty - Kuruna/Raven

On the night that Raven reveals herself, the stars are gleaming, sparkling just like Kuruna's eyes behind those glasses of hers. Raven doesn't speak; she couldn't possibly think of all the right words to explain everything that she wants to say. She lets her actions speak for themselves.

She is glowing, fire and light and warmth, and she wants so badly for someone to understand for once.

Kuruna understands.

Kuruna is steady earth and steady hands, but her eyes and her smile are brighter than the stars and moon combined, and she is just as warm as the sands beneath her feet as she welcomes Raven into her arms.


	28. Ribbons - Karina/Sofia

Sofia had always enjoyed inviting Karina over to her home, especially when they got to spend hours upon hours going through Sofia's closet, trying on outfits and styling their hair and makeup. For years, Sofia had been at her sister's mercy when it came to getting dressed up for fun, but as Evelyn got older and more intent on selling her vegetable clothes, Sofia was free of having to model them and able to spend the time with her own clothes (and her own model, at that).

Karina looked stunning when done up in ribbons and lace, of course. Sofia especially loved to brush Karina's long hair, running her fingers through the silvery curls and threading ribbons through her locks to match the ones on her dress. Karina always sat patiently, head only bobbing occasionally when she started to nod off.

She would sometimes shiver when Sofia's fingers brushed the bare skin of the nape of her neck, and Sofia would smile. That delicate response was Sofia's favorite thing, along with looking into the mirror to catch Karina's expressions as she leaned in for a kiss.


	29. Eye of the Storm - Sakuya/Pia

Pia was a whirlwind, a typhoon, a hurricane of energy spinning and bouncing and sweeping everyone around her up in her antics. Sakuya gladly let herself get carried away, time and time again. She had known the moment that Pia came into her life that she was going to devote herself to chasing that storm.

And when the  _real_ storms came in and Pia was quelled, curled up under the covers next to Sakuya as the wind howled and rain pounded at their windows, they were both content. Limbs tangled around each other, breathing each other's breath, holding onto their little bubble of peace amidst the storm that raged outside.


	30. Right Here Waiting - Carmen/Raven

Carmen was adventurous in her own way, but she was content to stay in Sharance for the most part. She had to help Carlos maintain the shop of course, and she knew the area around Sharance like no other. The rivers, lakes, and ponds were all her domain, and she didn't want for much more than she could get at home.

Raven ventured abroad often, running errands for Gaius and searching for rare minerals and materials. She liked the thrill of travel, the exhilaration of riding on an airship, the new sights and sounds that she found on her way. Her heart, however, would always be in Sharance. 

Carmen was struck with wanderlust from time to time, of course. She hung on Raven's stories whenever Raven returned from her travels, waiting patiently as Raven slowly but surely gave voice to her adventures, the things she had seen, the people she had met. Raven, for all that she loved to travel to new places, began to look forward to coming home even more.

Because she had a home to return to, she always reminded herself. Because Carmen would always be in Sharance waiting for her stories and her gifts, and Carmen's bright smile and warm embrace would always be there to welcome her back.


	31. New Possibilities - Shara/Kuruna

One sunny afternoon, as Shara and Kuruna lounged in Kuruna's tent, passing the time with tea, cookies, and friendly chatter, Kuruna cleared her throat in the way that she did whenever she had a question which slightly embarrassed her.

"Yes?" Shara inquired without hesitation. She had figured out that it was best to be up-front with Kuruna.

"Have you..." Kuruna began, cheeks coloring. "Have you ever been kissed on the forehead?"

Shara blinked in momentary surprise before her smile returned. "Sure, lots of times. Why?"

"What's it like?"

That caught Shara by surprise again. When she thought about it, it made sense; however long it had been since Kuruna's parents were alive, it had also been that long since anyone but Ondorus was permitted to be physically affectionate with her. That, and the Univir's horns were a natural impediment to forehead kissing in particular.

Shara smiled again and took Kuruna's face in her hands.

"Hey-" She could feel Kuruna's face heat underneath her touch as she leaned in. Kuruna started to sputter, but Shara just pressed her lips to Kuruna's forehead, right at the base of her horn.

Shara sat back with a giggle. "Was that an acceptable demonstration?"

Kuruna turned away, mumbling something and fiddling with her glasses as she blushed furiously.

"Hm?"

"Could you... do it a-again?"

Of course, Shara was happy to oblige.


	32. Rainbow - Collette/Daria

"Eat your greens!" Collette exclaims, chasing after Daria with her half-finished plate. Daria whines and protests and claims that it's not her favorite, but she eventually gives in. Collette's concern about her health is too stubborn to argue with.

When Daria is feeling blue, Collette delivers her favorite dishes and lets her ramble on about everything and nothing. Daria paints murals of stars and hearts along Collette's arms, and even dabs paint on her nose when she isn't paying attention, laughing at Collette's outrage.

Collette gets her back good when she leans in close, making Daria blush bright red. Collette takes the opportunity to streak paint across Daria's face in return, and by the end of it their playful fighting has left a mess all around Daria's studio, not to mention all over the both of them. Her clothes are most likely ruined, but Collette can't care too much about the scolding she will get from her father.

When the flowers bloom in spring, Daria bounds into the restaurant with her usual enthusiasm, and she leaves the brilliant pink and white blooms on every table. Collette gathers them up to put in vases. In winter, when the ground is blanketed in white and the sky is grey and everything is quiet, Collette shows up at Daria's cottage with a brilliantly colorful knitted blanket weighing down her arms. They curl up underneath it, and Daria traces patterns along Collette's skin, daydreaming of hearts and stars and abstract splashes of color.

Collette isn't sure about visiting the waterfall - or rather, about climbing the rocks around it - but Daria's hand is firm and reassuring in hers. They climb to the top and perch on the rocks, enjoying the view of the rainbows thrown up by the spray.

Collette doesn't let go of Daria's hand, and the world is bright and beautiful.


	33. Morning People - Karina/Collette

Collette was an early riser by nature, even if living in and working at a restaurant hadn't necessitated it. Her family had their morning routine; her dad would rise first and already be well into prepping the kitchen by the time she and Rusk got to their respective work stations. They'd all start off quietly as they cleaned and prepared their tools, but things would gradually get livelier as they got to making the day's meals.

Collette was well aware that most people she knew had a rather different routine, and that was fine. Having the early morning all to herself and her family was part of what made it special.

But Karina...

Collette shifted and wiggled experimentally, but Karina's arm remained a veritable iron bar locked around her waist. She gave a few testing stretches for her bedside table in an attempt to find some leverage to pull herself fully out of Karina's grip, but she couldn't reach.

Collette sighed and settled back against her pillow. Karina shifted and murmured, but didn't loosen her grip any.

Well. Such was the risk of sharing a bed, huh? At least Karina didn't toss and turn like Marian.

She wouldn't hear the end of this from Dad and Rusk, especially given the reason for her eventual late arrival to the kitchen, but it felt worth it.


	34. The Real Treasure - Shara/Sakuya

Sakuya liked to think that she was pretty good at dealing with people who are... more on the whimsical side, let's say. She lived with Pia of course, and dealt with the inn's unusual guests and her own wacky neighbors daily, after all. So when Shara bounced up to her one afternoon with an invitation to go on an adventure in the forest, Sakuya hadn't thought twice before accepting. She wasn't fond of monsters, but Shara had a way with them, and it seemed like it'd even be a good business opportunity.

She should have known better by now, honestly.

To Shara's credit, their romp through the edge of Privera Forest and the flower field  _was_ fun, even if Sakuya ended up more than a little disheveled and covered in plant matter by the end of it. Shara stopped often to pick whichever flowers caught her eye, and Sakuya caught a glimpse of a cautious monster or two keeping to the treeline. She ventured over after seeing some woolies and collected the fur they had left caught in bushes and branches, but she confirmed with disappointment that none of them had been the odd golden wooly that the townspeople had seen from time to time.

It was with relief that Sakuya agreed to Shara's suggestion that they stop in the field for a picnic before heading back to town, and an even further gratitude that she devoured the lunch Shara produced from her pack.

"It was fun," she admitted to Shara in between mouthfuls, "but none of this stuff we found was even valuable!"

Shara giggled in that way of hers. "Money isn't the only way to measure value, you know."

"Yeah, but..." Sakuya was all set to start complaining again, until she caught the amusement on Shara's face and stopped herself with a small huff. "Ah well. Thanks for the lunch, anyways."

She wasn't going to be making any profit off of this afternoon, but she had good food in her belly and a pretty girl by her side. 

It really wasn't a bad turnout at all.


	35. For The Birds - Sofia/Collette

Blaise emerged from the kitchen with a sigh after the afternoon rush finally ended, only to stop short when he noted that Rusk was very much alone in clearing tables and cleaning up the restaurant area.

"Where's your sister?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. Collette and Rusk shared clean-up duty just like everything else in the kitchen.

Rusk snorted. "Outside chasing birds for Sofia."

"...Why?"

"Oh, you know Collette can't say no to a pretty face," Rusk said with a sly grin.

Blaise shook his head. "You know what I meant. What does Sofia need birds for?"

"Something about making a dish that was meant for Sherman. I think she tried to get Micah to help her, but he was busy, so she came here. Collette said yes before I could."

As if on cue, Collette ran past a window, yelling and chasing a group of squawking birds.

Blaise waited a moment, and as expected, Collette re-entered his field of view moments later, now pursued by a greater number of birds than she had been chasing. He thought that somewhere underneath the yelling, squawking, and flapping, he heard Sofia's giggle and words of what were probably encouragement, knowing her speaking patterns.

Blaise shook his head and picked up a nearby cloth, moving to help Rusk with the cleaning. Collette could get out of a scolding for shirking her duties just this once, but only because her taste in girls was its own punishment.


End file.
